It was a Herculean task what the course builders had put on the turf for the Rolex Grand Prix in Spruce Meadows, which was endowed with 3 million Canadian dollars. Only the 20th rider managed to master the difficult course without any faults: The only 24-year-old Belgian Gilles Thomas and André Thieme's ex-sport partner, the Holsteiner Aretino, managed the feat. For there were quite a few cliffs in the course. After a Chinese wall, they went on a curved line towards the water and from there directly into a triple. Many people did not come out of this in one piece. And those who hadn't made any mistakes up to this point were often caught at a totally inconspicuous, but very narrow, single-coloured steep jump. This was also the case for Gerrit Nieberg and his Ben in round one.
The defending champion Steve Guerdat and his Venard de Cerisy made it exciting. Both of them were also clear. Daniel Deusser and his Rolex Grand Prix winner from Aachen 2021, Killer Queen VDM, also had a perfect round. McLain Ward and HH Azur were also among the front runners without any faults.
Only the twelve best pairs then returned for round two. "The second round is much harder than the first. The horses need a lot of strength, courage and have to feel the special moment," Eric Lamaze summed it up before the second round.
Gerrit Nieberg and Ben didn't drop this time and finished the Rolex Grand Prix in a great fifth place. Only three starters managed the double clear round at the end and had to go into the jump-off for the victory: Steve Guerdat, Gilles Thomas and Daniel Deusser. After Steve Guerdat had collected a drop in the jump-off and Gilles Thomas even pushed two poles out of the supports, Deusser 'only' had to stay clear. He kept his nerve and rode his Queen clear through the course - 3 clear rounds and that was the third Rolex Grand Prix victory for Daniel Deusser after the victories in Aachen 2021 with Killer Queen and in s'Hertogenbosch in March 2022 with Scuderia 1918 Tobago Z. "Before the third round I was actually a bit nervous. But luckily it all worked out. Three clear rounds, I am incredibly proud of my horse," the beaming winner said happily afterwards.
However, there was no bonus in addition to the prize money this time, as Deusser had already collected the "2 out of 4" bonus of the Rolex Grand Slam when he won in March. Now, however, a new time reckoning begins for him. In Geneva in December he could win another decent bonus if he wins the Rolex Grand Prix again. He will try.
Second place in the Rolex Grand Prix at Spruce Meadows went to the defending champion Steve Guerdat ahead of Gilles Thomas. Mexican Eugenio Garza Perez jumped into fourth place with Contago ahead of Gerrit Nieberg and Ben.
